How Do I Become an Audit Associate?

An audit associate is a person who is responsible for examining the financial records of private or public companies in a process called an audit. In addition to performing audits, he or she might also be responsible for testing internal procedures and performing accounting duties. To become an audit associate, you will need to obtain a high school diploma or the equivalent. After that, your next step is to obtain an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related business field.

Your first step to become an audit associate is to obtain a high school diploma or a similar certification. This is a requirement for most colleges and universities before you can enroll into their programs. Audit associates often work with numbers, so you should consider taking several courses in math. Other courses that you might take include language, foreign languages, communication and accounting if they are offered at your school.

After you complete your high school education, you will need to enroll in a college program to obtain at least an associate’s degree in accounting or a similar degree. Many employers prefer to hire graduates who have bachelor’s degrees or higher. Therefore, it might be wise to continue your education to become an audit associate by obtaining a bachelor’s degree instead of an associate’s degree. Students in an accounting program might take courses in financial accounting, auditing, bookkeeping and cost accounting.

Audit associates can be employed in several industries, so your duties might vary based on your employer. If you decide to work for a public accounting firm, for example, your daily duties might require you to perform financial audits on different companies within a certain industry on a yearly basis. Audit associates employed by a government agency might be required to perform audits on taxes or other related financial government matters.

Most audit associates work in an office environment on a full-time basis. Some audit associates, because of advances in technology, are able to work from home if necessary. Some travel might be required because an audit normally is performed at the business location of the company.

After you become an audit associate and gain at least two or three years of experience, there might be promotion opportunities to become a junior or senior level audit associate. To better their chances of advancement, some audit associates obtain certifications in internal auditing or public accounting by taking exams. The requirements for these exams often vary by jurisdiction.